It is well known in the art of spacecraft to have reflectors of antennas that need to be deployed once the spacecraft has reached its operating position, after being stowed during launch of the spacecraft. Most of these deployment mechanisms are passive mechanisms, such as a loaded spring or the like, such that any adjustment of the reflector position in the deployed configuration is impossible.
Other mechanisms allow for the deployment of the reflector from a stowed position and/or the pointing of the reflector while being in the deployed configuration. Such mechanisms usually sacrifice the proper focus of the RF beam in order to the achieve beam pointing on two axes.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved reflector deployment and pointing mechanism for an antenna reflector of a spacecraft.